Q: Clunking when braking

asked by on February 16, 2016

When I apply the brakes fully in my truck I hear a loud clunk on the right side. In addition, there is some clunking when I turn.

This comes up often on this vehicle. It is caused by a loose part on the suspension. It is usually a bad ball joint or control arm bushing. When one of these parts fails, the suspension will move or shift when hitting the brakes and cause the noise you are hearing. It will also move when turning. The suspension will need to be inspected to find the problem. If you are planning on having this done, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to find the problem and repair it.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How do I check power steering fluid in a 2012 Honda Accord?
Your car’s power steering system is designed to make it easier to turn your steering wheel and navigate, particularly at lower speeds (if you’ve ever driven a car without power steering, you know just how hard it can be to...
stalls when braking/turning
You have definitely thrown a lot of parts at the truck. Some may have been necessary, but some may not have been. Based on your current symptoms, it sounds like the Manifold Absolute Pressure, or MAP sensor, may be to...
4 days after dealership replaced headgasket I need a new transmission
Hello. The sequence of events and multiple failures you are describing are unusual. To replace a head gasket at 95,000 miles is unusual, except in a circumstance where the engine was overheated at some point in its life. Because you...
Air sucking into oil dipstick
Hi, thanks for writing in. If the crankcase is building up pressure that will not equalize, then you have a clogged crankcase ventilation system, such as the crankcase air filter may be bad. Have the PCV valve (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-positive-crankcase-ventilation-pcv-valve) and air...
Car went low on oil and now Check Engine Light and engine shaking
Well, a blinking Check Engine Light (CEL) is often more serious than a "steady" light because that typically means the engine is misfiring. You can't drive a misfiring engine very long without causing additional damage. The good news is there...
My van transmission started slipping and the van is making a whining sound now. I had transmission fluid filled but it is even wor
It would be a good idea to check to be sure that the fluid level was not overfilled. Too much fluid creates shifting and operational problems just as too little fluid will. So, the level should be carefully verified. If...
Checking car for oil burning
The crankcase is a closed system and this kind of test does not show anything on this cars engine since if you open the oil cap the engine will run rough due to sucking in all the fresh air. The...
What is the grinding sound coming from passenger side of engine
It sounds like this may be related to a couple of different possibilities. This could be a bad idler pulley bearing (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/drive-belt-tensioner-replacement), which is a bearing inside an idler wheel that the serpentine belt rides on. When these bearings wear...
Shifting problem
You may have a bad transmission shift governor in the back of the transmission that is not working correctly or there is another internal fluid pressure leakage that may require the transmission to be rebuilt. Have the governor replaced and...

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
Until Until just the past few years, the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic were the kings of the compact car class, and domestic manufacturers had almost nothing in the way of competition for these models. With the 2012 Chevrolet...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're a Mobile Housekeeper
If If you are a mobile housekeeper, chances are that you are looking for a small, reliable used vehicle that offers good gas mileage and enough space to store your supplies. With that in mind, we present to you the...
How Long Does a Ball Joint Front Last?
Ball joints are an essential part of your car’s suspension. They connect your steering to your control arms, allowing you...